12 brushes your face cannot live without

The starting point to a flawless face is your make-up brush. In this three part series, kick things off by introducing yourself to the best foundation, concealer and powder brushes; and one special applicator.

Sigma Angled Pixel Concealer Brush #F69 This angled brush is perfect for covering up patches and redness. Use the slim bristles against your nose or over acne to blend away all traces of patchiness and blemishes in a jiffy.

Sephora Pro Airbrush #57 The small round head of this brush is ideal for applying concealer and buffing the under eye area for a polished, finish. The short, synthetic bristles glide along the eye contour so you end up using less product, which prevents clumping and makes for smoother blending.

Mac Duo Fibre Face Brush #187 A stippling brush (made from a blend of goat hair and synthetic fibres) deposits a light, almost sheer layer of foundation on your skin. It's also great for blending in face powder or coloured pigments.

Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush This one is a nifty little multitasker—liquid, cream or powder foundation, this one applies it all. The strands are slanted at an angle so that the brush can reach all the contours of your face—especially the fiddly bits like the area around your nose.

Bobbi Brown Foundation Brush Use this brush for all over coverage that looks…well…like it isn't there! The thin edge disperses foundation in an even layer, which blends in for a flawless finish.

Sigma 3DHD Kabuki Brush The ridge of this brush works best to apply liquid, cream and powder products uniformly on every curve and crease. The double wedge lets you apply products on either side of your face in a single swipe and the point gets into all the tiny areas around the mouth and the corners of the eyes.

Nars Yachiyo Kabuki Brush This brush looks as great as your face will after application—it defines and highlights cheekbones and diffuses blush or bronzer effortlessly. You can even use it to apply colour around the eye area (if you're contouring near your temples).

Mac Large Fluff Brush #227 This soft, natural fibre brush is perfect for powder-based products. Use it to blend in your setting powder over a liquid or cream foundation or to set your under eye concealer.

Bobbi Brown Sheer Powder Brush Use this brush for natural, light coverage with loose or pressed powders. The round shape makes it easy to reach the hard-to-reach contours of your face.

Bare Minerals Angled Blush Brush This small, angled, natural goat hair brush is ideal for creating sculpted cheeks and for contouring. The soft-tapered bristles are ideal for buffing which gives you a natural, airbrush finish.

Flawless face applicator: Beauty blender sponge This applicator is your secret weapon to get an undetectable finish. Created without hard edges this sponge blends away visible lines and doesn’t leave behind streaky, patchy makeup. Damp the sponge and use the round base in a stippling (bouncy) motion on your forehead, cheeks and chin and the pointed side for the tricky areas.